The Community Action Partnership has named longtime Fond du Lac resident Arletta Allen its 2019 Sargent Shriver Achievement Award recipient.
According to the partnership, this national award was established to “recognize and honor the accomplishments of individuals who, with assistance from Community Action, achieved self-sufficiency and then strived to help the others do the same through advocacy, volunteerism, public service or another vehicle.'”
Allen says that she is overwhelmed by the honor.
“I know that my story is not just my story,” she said in an interview. “My story belongs to so many others out there who have had to come through so many things. If my life embodies what self-sufficiency looks like, I am happy to lay it down for that purpose because it makes me feel as though my life has a purpose.”
Allen is the CEO and founder of the lifestyle brand Authentically Arletta and is a sought-after public speaker and podcast host who focuses on the topics of perseverance, authenticity, leadership and domestic abuse.
Allen’s personal story of perseverance is featured in this month’s Insight magazine where she also appears on the cover.
Allen is having one heck of a year. The Shriver award comes just months after she accomplished a long-time goal of graduating with honors from Marian University with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in business. llen has served as keynote at Moraine Park Technical College and has many speaking engagements throughout this year next.
Currently, Allen is prepping for her TedX Fond du lac appearance on August 17th.
She also founded a new nonprofit organization, the Peculiar Princess Project for girls ages 10 to 18.
“This year has been very amazing. I am very humbled by everything that has come to pass for me,” she said. “It’s an answered prayer. I give it all back to God and what his purpose is for my life. I feel it was not by accident. I understand today why I had to face so much heartache and so much pain. Looking back now, I would not change a thing.’
